What to Know About Aubrey Plaza's Boyfriend, Christopher Abbott – With Whom She's Having Her First Child

When Parks and Recreation and The White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza announced she’s expecting her first baby with actor Christopher Abbott, Hollywood took notice. The couple’s pregnancy announcement in April 2026 marked a joyful new chapter not just for Plaza but for Abbott himself — an accomplished actor with a quietly respected career in film, television and theatre.

Abbey Plaza’s representatives confirmed the news to People, with a source describing the pregnancy as “a beautiful surprise after an emotional year.” Plaza, 41, and Abbott, 40, have largely kept their relationship out of the tabloids, but the baby news has brought renewed interest in Abbott’s life both on and off screen.

What Is Christopher Abbott's Background?

Christopher Jacob Abbott was born on February 10, 1986, in Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. — a suburban upbringing far from Hollywood’s glare. As per The Guardian, he attended community college then worked at a video store and a wine shop before joining a performing arts college in New York.

Acting hadn't been on his mind growing up. "I loved movies growing up. I went to the movies with my uncle all the time. But being an actor? I didn't even think about it until I was about twenty years old. I took a class at the college I was at. I don't know why - I just wanted to take a class, and I kind of fell in love with it there," he is quoted as saying in his IMDB page.

What Does He Do for Work?

Abbott’s career is defined by versatility and depth. He began on the Off‑Broadway stage in 2008, earning positive notices for roles in productions like Good Boys and True and Mouth to Mouth.

His television break came with the HBO series Girls, where he played Charlie Dattolo, the quiet, emotionally vulnerable boyfriend of one of the main characters. Though he left the series after two seasons, the role introduced him to a broader audience.

He’s also appeared in notable films such as A Most Violent Year, It Comes at Night, Black Bear (where he first worked with Plaza), Poor Things, and Wolf Man (2025). In 2026, he returned to Broadway portraying Biff in a revival of Death of a Salesman opposite Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf.

How Did Aubrey Plaza Meet Christopher Abbott?

Plaza and Abbott first crossed professional paths in the 2020 psychological thriller Black Bear, in which they co‑starred.

Their bond deepened in 2023 when they reunited for the Off‑Broadway revival of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, a two‑character play that put them in intense dramatic proximity. In a New York Times interview about the production, Plaza and Abbott spoke about the trust and freedom they found working together.

“He cares, but he also doesn’t care; it’s the best recipe for me for a scene partner,” Plaza said. “It’s fun and it’s also good and it’s also safe. I like to just throw things out the window also and laugh and mess around and not take it so seriously. It’s a hard combo to come by.”

“We’re both unafraid to be ugly and weird and strange,” said Abbott.

It wasn’t until July 2025 that observers first began to see signs of a romantic relationship, with sightings of the pair together socially in upstate New York that summer.

When Did They Start Dating?

The exact moment their relationship shifted from friendship to romance hasn’t been publicly confirmed, but reports suggest mid‑2025 was a turning point. A source told People the couple has been quietly together since then, deepening their connection after years as friends and collaborators.

This timeline also follows a deeply personal period for Plaza. She had previously been married to screenwriter and director Jeff Baena, who tragically passed away in early 2025. Abbott became a supportive presence in her life as she navigated that loss, and their relationship has since grown into the family they are now preparing to welcome.

Who Else Has He Dated?

Abbott has historically kept his personal life private, with little tabloid fanfare before his connection to Plaza came into the spotlight. According to publicly available records and dating histories, his most documented relationship before Plaza was with actress Olivia Cooke around 2015–2016.